Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry I am not going to get to the points made by the others speakers. In terms of student accommodation, rent pressure zones and the difficulties being faced, we are looking at that at the moment. I will be introducing a Bill relating to the rental sector and am working with the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Mitchell O'Connor, on it. That work is ongoing and if it is possible or necessary to amend that legislation, we will do so. It is tough enough being a student in terms of trying to find the money, particularly when costs are going up and we do not want rent to be another significant pressure for them. We obviously want more rental accommodation to be available and there will be an additional 9,000 very modern student bed places in the system by 2019. It is great accommodation and represents a whole new way of living for students that has not been seen here before but as we bring that on stream, it must be affordable for them.

I am very sorry that I did not get to the points made by Senators Buttimer, Mulherin, Kieran O'Donnell, Dolan or Byrne. Senator Dolan talked about disability which is very important. All of the schemes that I have visited have included some homes with disabled access, including the scheme in Lord Edward Street in Limerick which I visited last Monday. I received a copy of A Stitch in Time, a book by the people who used to work in Limerick's clothing factory which has now been re-purposed. The new accommodation units include lower worktops in the kitchens with space for wheelchairs underneath and wider doorways. I know that we need to do more but every social housing scheme that I have visited has had homes for people with disabilities.